Chapter 46. The Rotten Core

ARDEN

The room dimmed even further as the door closed quietly behind the newcomer. Cade stiffened beside me, his eyes narrowing in the direction of the sound.

Mr. Winters.

I recognized that silhouette even before the overhead glow from a monitor illuminated the sharp angles of his face. He moved calmly, exuding the confidence of someone who had all the time in the world and nothing to fear. Striding directly to the computer, he began typing a password.

Click. Click. Click. Enter.

And then the screen came to life.

A curious impulse overtook me; I leaned ever so slightly to peek through the narrow gap between the desks. My eyes widened in horror when I caught sight of a slew of thumbnails featuring naked bodies.

Just then, a series of moans echoed from the speakers. Cade stiffened beside me, clutching my body instinctively.

The moans crescendoed further, forcing a gasp from deep within me—a sound I could not hold back, born not of fear b